Basket



April 1941- G. E. ZAPP 6, 37

' BASKET Filed May 14, 1940 2 SheetsSheet 1 Inventor GEORGE L. Z'A P,

-A ttome y April 1, 1941. G. E. ZAPP 2,236,637

BASKET Filed ,May 14, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor 6EORGE .F. ZAPP,

A iiorney Patented Apr. 1, 1941 UNITED STATES Application May 14, 1940, Serial No. 335,129

1 Claim.

My invention relates to baskets and more especially to improvements in covers for bushel baskets and the like, and the particular object in view is to provide a crown type cover for bushel baskets containing a so-called bulge pack of fruit, or the like, and which will stand more pressure on top than the usual covers of commerce, will withstand shrinkage without splitting, can be assembled, wet or dry, has no projecting parts, can be easily applied and detached and manufactured at a minimum cost.

To the accomplishment of the above, and subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has'been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and defined in the claim appended hereto.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of the preferred embodiment of my invention,

Figure 2 is a view in side elevation,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view in transverse vertical section taken on the line 3-3 of'Figure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 3 drawn to an enlarged scale, and

Figure 5 is a detail view in vertical transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2 and drawn to an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, my improved cover has been illustrated therein as applied to the usual bushel basket comprising the body part I and having a rim 2 formed of a pair of inner and outer hoops 3, 4, secured to the part I by wire staples 5.

The cover of my invention comprises a hoop 6, transversely fiat, and of suitable wood, and of proper diameter to seat edgewise on the rim 2 with its outer periphery flush with that of the outer hoop 4. Adjacent its top edge the hoop 6 is provided with an internal, circumferential groove 1 of suitable depth and concentric to the axis of the hoop.

of. The outermost, or top, panel 8 is thicker than the others and provided with a smooth outer face for stencil purposes.

The panels 8 are secured together to be forced up into the hoop 6, as a unit, in assembling the same therewith, and by means of a pair of wire staples ll extended through the same in the diametrical center of the top panel 8 upon opposite sides of the longitudinal center of the latter. A pair of similar staples l2 secure the ends of the hoops 6 together in the usual manner.

The top panel 8 is detachably secured to the hoop 6 by a pair of staple-like wire bails I3 having the legs thereof extended downwardly through opposite ends of said panels, and then laterally outwardly through the hoop 6 with the terminals of said legs clinched against the outer side of the hoops 6, as at M. The loop ends l5 of the bails I3 extend outwardly of the top of said top panel 8 and are bent inwardly over the top of said panel fiat against the same, as shown in full lines in Figures 1, 3 and 4, when the basket is to be shipped, or stored. When it is desired to carry the basket, said ends l5 of bails I3 are bent outwardly, laterally over the hoop 6 and then upwardly as shown in dotted lines in Figures 3, 4, to provide handles.

The described cover is detachably secured to the basket by means of a pair of wire staples l6 extending outwardly of the hoop 6 at diametrically opposite sides thereof, with inner ends clinched on the inside of said hoop, and a pair of diametrically opposite wire staples I! upstanding from the outer hoop 4, exteriorly thereof, to be extended through the staples IS, in assemblying the cover and basket, as shown in full lines in Figures 2 and 5 and, when the cover is placed, to be bent outwardly and downwardly over said staples l6, respectively, as shown in dotted lines in said figures, whereby said staples 16, 11, are interlocked and the cover locked to the rim 2.

As will now be seen, the described cover is very simple in construction, involves a minimum number of parts, so that it may be economically produced, while at the same time, it is strong and durable, easy to attach and detach, can be readily replaced in part when desired, and will withstand a heavy load on top thereof without collapsing.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suffice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A basket cover comprising a, hoop having an internal groove therein, an assembly of diametrically disposed panels in said hoop crossed in overlapping relation and having curved ends fitting in said grooves, said panels being longer than the diameter of said hoop to cause the same to bend into upwardly bowed position and the top panel being thicker than the others to reinforce the assembly against downward pressure thereon, Wire staples connecting the panels together at the crossed portions thereof, and a pair of diametrically disposed bails at the opposite ends of one panel, respectively, having legs extending downwardly through said panel and outwardly through said hoop and clinched against the latter, said bails having hand grip ends above said panel bendable flat against the same or out- 10 wardly of the hoop and upwardly selectively.

GEORGE E. ZAPP. 

